UAE: STAC Calls For Coordinated Tourism Approach

In a recent development, Sharjah Tourism Advisory Committee (STAC) recently held its fourth meeting.

The meeting was headed by HE Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, chairman of Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) who reviewed tourism achievements during current year and most prominent projects and events.

The meeting was attended by HE Saif Mohammed Al Midfa, CEO of Expo Centre Sharjah, HE Abdul Aziz Al Jarwan, director of transportation in Sharjah Roads and Transport Authority, Ahmed Al Qaseer, chief operating officer, Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), Sheikha Nawar Bint Ahmed Al Qasimi, communications senior coordinator at Sharjah Art Foundation, Maha AlJuwaied, administrative coordinator-chairman’s office in the Environment and Protected Areas Authority (EPAA), engineer Lamia Obaid Al Shamsi, director of support services department at Sharjah International Airport Authority, Mohammed Desouky, area manager for Sharjah and Northern Emirates in Air Arabia and Nasser Nasef, chairman of the Hotels Business Group in the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce & Industry.

HE Khalid Jasim Al Midfa called upon all stakeholders in Sharjah’s tourism sector to work together in cooperation. Pointing importance of promoting latest projects and tourism festivals, HE Al Midfa urged public and private sectors to work together to showcase the emirate’s tourism offerings. He said the first step towards this direction involved improving tourism flow to the emirate to attract 10 million visitors by 2021 to achieve the Sharjah Tourism Vision 2021.

He further said that the traditional approach to tourism must be replaced with an integrated effort that suits interests of visitors from all nationalities. A major step in this direction was launch of the Marhabtain initiative, which aims to enhance human resource capabilities of the tourism sector as a key pillar of the Sharjah Tourism Vision.

“Family tourism is taking over the travel industry, and is set to register a growth of 4.79% annually until 2020 as against 3.8% growth by overall tourism sector. The global family tourism market, which was worth US$140 billion in 2013, is expected to expand to more than US$180 billion by 2018,” HE Saif Al Midfa.